Automotive vehicles, such as passenger cars (sometimes referred to as “automobiles”) are often criticised for producing emissions that are harmful to humans and the environment. There is therefore increasing interest in automotive vehicles with reduced emissions and with greater fuel efficiency, such as electric and hybrid-electric vehicles.
One problem that affects hybrid-electric vehicles is the problem of accommodating the electrical components, such as the electrical motor used to power the vehicle, in the vehicle. The accommodation of components in vehicles is sometimes referred to as “packaging.” The electrical components in hybrid-electric vehicles must be positioned in a way that is operationally effective and that does not interfere with other components of the vehicle. Ideally, the electrical components should also be positioned so as not to intrude into the passenger space of the vehicle. As many hybrid-electric vehicles are adaptations of solely fossil fuel-powered vehicles—for example, the chassis, body, suspension and certain driveline components can be retained—it is necessary to fit the additional electrical components around the existing components of the vehicle without interfering with the operation of those components. This can be difficult and can lead to great complexity in hybrid-electric vehicles, particularly in relation to driveline components.
Similar problems affect electric vehicles.
An object of this disclosure is to address these problems.